I have a HUGE love of pickles. I simply cannot be trusted with a jar of them. I promise you, I will eat every single one. The weather is starting to turn cooler, which means it's time to start cooking up big batches of soups and stews. What could be better than to combine a hearty soup with a handful of dill pickles? I know it sounds absolutely crazy, but believe me: this soup is DELICIOUS!

I will not advise you to add any salt to this recipe until it is finished cooking. Because various brands of pickles contain varying amounts of salt, you really do need to wait until the soup is in your bowl before you add any extra. In my case, I didn't add any at all.

I used Klaussen pickles, which are found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. There are a lot of spices in that brand, along with diced garlic. I think all of that added extra flavor to my soup, but you can use whichever brand you like.

1. Combine the broth, carrots, potatoes, and butter together in a large pot. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring every few minutes, until the potatoes are cooked.

2. Stir in the pickles, and let boil.

3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, sour cream, and water. This mixture with be very thick, like a paste.

4. Reduce heat to medium, and add the sour cream paste to the soup a spoonful at a time. Make sure to vigorously whisk the sour cream mixture into the soup after every addition. You may see little clumps of flour floating on the top of the soup, but don't worry. Keep whisking, and they will disappear.

5. Add in the Old Bay seasoning, pepper, cayenne, and pickle juice. Stir well, and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

This savory vegetable pie is unlike anything I have ever tried. It is light and airy, making it a perfect summertime lunch dish. The center is colorful vegetables surrounded by a custard-like egg filling, sitting atop a layer of mozzarella cheese and Dijon mustard. It may sound strange, but the end result is delicious!

2. Roll out the pie crust, and place it into a pie dish. Trim the edges so they are flush with the edges of the dish.

3. Using a pastry brush, gently spread the mustard over the bottom of the crust.

4. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the mustard.

5. Using a mandoline slicer or other wide hand-held slicer/peeler, slice the vegetables into long, thin slices, starting with the eggplant. Before slicing the other vegetables, we first need to 'sweat' the eggplant so it won't make the crust soggy.

6. Lay the eggplant slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt on both sides. Let these sit while you're slicing the other vegetables. The salt will help draw excess moisture out of the eggplant.

7. After the other vegetables have been sliced, rinse the eggplant slices with warm water and gently pat dry on paper towels.

8. Gently roll the vegetable slices up, and stand them on their end in the pie dish. If the carrots are too stiff to roll, place them in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them sit for a few minutes to soften.

9. Mix the eggs and half-and-half together and pour over the vegetables. Sprinkle with the parsley.

10. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the center is set.

11. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes to allow the filling to congeal.